SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A former federal prosecutor who stepped down from the job to run for Congress was one of four recipients of an annual award given to assistant U.S. attorneys in the Northern District of New York.

U.S. Attorney Richard Hartunian announced Wednesday that John Katko was being honored with the 2014 Director's Award for Superior Performance as an AUSA.

John Katko

Katko received the award for leading the prosecution of 25 members of two Syracuse street gangs -- Bricktown and V-NOT, Hartunian said in a news release.They were the sixth and seventh gangs that Katko prosecuted since 2003, convicting 130 gangsters.